


Beauty & the Beast

by qironvg



Category: tgcf, tian guan ci fu, 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Beauty and the Beast, Disney AU, Hualian, M/M, Xian Le, personality change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23923462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qironvg/pseuds/qironvg
Summary: Beauty and the Beast: Hualian Version where Xie Lian is a scrap collecter in Xian Le, and the tale of the terrifying Beast was thought to be a fairy tale.
Relationships: Huā Chéng/Xiè Lián
Comments: 15
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

80 years ago, in the small kingdom of Xian Le, lived a rich and arrogant prince. 

He had everything anyone could ever want, and more. His palace had walls of beautiful golden colors, music was in the air whenever he requested it, and beautiful dancers, both men, and women. He was young, healthy, and extremely handsome. He had thousands of worshippers, even in a small kingdom, and was filled with love from them every day. His name was Hua Cheng.

However, this Hua Cheng had one flaw, and that was that he was extremely arrogant.

Although he was loved, he didn't care enough to show love back and took it for granted. He took all of it, but he never gave. He could only see his own path ahead, and didn't want anybody to stand in his way. 

As for his parents? Nobody knew.

One day, it was said that a dirty and old beggar came knocking at his highness's door. He was covered with a large green cloak, ripped and patched up in many places, clearly filthy. The old beggar was extremely tired, and dragged himself in as he could barely walk. The wooden stick in his hands was shaking from how weak he felt, having carried himself for many days in the woods searching for shelter. Having found the palace, all the old beggar asked was for a cup of water.

The prince had more than enough water. One cup of water was clearly not a difficult task, yet Hua Cheng immediately refused, disgusted by the unsightly appearance of the beggar.

Pointing at the old beggar, he laughed, but there wasn't a trace of warmth in that smile. He told the beggar, _'Scram out of here before I kick you out! You've arrived uninvited, and you've dirtied my floor!'_

The old beggar didn't give up, and begged the prince over and over, claiming that he's heard that this Hua Cheng had many worshippers who loved him. He wondered how could he be so cruel to deny him a simple cup of water. But Hua Cheng didn't give in, not even when the old beggar almost collapsed from exhaustion. Once Hua Cheng made up his mind, his word was absolute. 

_'I told you to scram! Stop wasting my time, you ugly beast!'_

What Hua Cheng didn't know was that this old man wasn't an ordinary old man, but a goddess descended from the heavens. In fact, this was a trial she had set to test out Hua Cheng's nobility and kindness. The old beggar transformed in a flash of golden light, and in place stood a beautiful woman with long black hair and expensive clothing. 

The goddess told him and everyone around that she was greatly angered and disappointed in him. How could he be fooled by appearances? Beauty came from within. 

Hua Cheng had with no doubt, failed to see. 

As punishment, she set a curse on him and left, leaving only a rose in a glass case. 

From then on, Hua Cheng's kingdom went downhill. 

His people became sick, and when they saw how their prince wasn't coming out and helping them, they cursed him and quit worshipping him, and instead expressed their hate. He lost all his believers, and as the sickness spread, the kingdom of Xian Le was nearly wiped out. His guards, his riches, his palace, it was all gone. 

The last thing to go was said to be his parents, or his father, as it was rumored the prince had no mother. His father wasn't kind with his words, only cursing his son and screaming how _disgusting_ he was to his face. The reason for this was even more unbelievable, for they say that the prince no longer looked like his former handsome and youthful self. 

Instead, he had turned into a _terrifying beast_. 

\----------

Xie Lian woke up from his dream, squinting as his eyes were hit by the morning sunlight. The sound of the rooster had awoken him like it did every morning, announcing that it was time for him to go do his chores. He groaned internally, but quickly set feet down to work as soon as he got on his usual white clothes. 

He had dreamt of the fairy tale his mother used to tell him as a young kid, the one with the beast Hua Cheng who lived 80 years ago. It wasn't a very popular story among people, considering the ending wasn't too happy and nobody liked listening to such stories. Xie Lian also thought it was an odd story, but what was even weirder was that he had met people who actually believed in that obviously fake tale. 

Even though Xie Lian had never seen a picture of the Beast, nor heard any detailed description, his dream had conjured up a very clear image. In his dream, Hua Cheng the Beast wore a crimson red cape, his face was handsome and his skin was as white as snow. He had long black hair to match the pair of dark horns on his head. The rest was blurry, but Xie Lian clearly remembered one dark eye, welling up with tears. Only one eye, because the other was covered by a black eyepatch. 

Xie Lian dismissed his thoughts, deciding that dreams of fantasies weren't important. Sighing to himself in his lonely shrine, he went out to collect scraps. 

With his hair tied up into a bun in the back of his head, stray brown hairs framing his small face and long eyelashes fluttering up, Xie Lian was quite beautiful. That's what he was told many times by the people of Xian Le, and his friend Shi Qing Xuan. They never failed to tell him every morning, wondering why Xie Lian was still single at 25 years of age. Xie Lian dismissed these types of questions. He was never really interested in anyone, and having lived with the same type of people all his life growing up, he never met someone new. 

Because of his good looks, he never had excessive trouble collecting scraps. However, he made sure to collect scraps a little farther from the main city, where not as many people knew him. It was precisely because people knew him that he didn't want to collect scraps there. If they saw him, they would for sure stray a bit further from him, whispering to each other. 

Once he was finished, he did indeed go to the middle of town, still needing to do his laundry and maybe pick up a few more books to read. He was already done with the book he borrowed last week from the librarian, Mei Nian Qing. 

It was a little town, a quiet village. Every day, it was like the one before, with the same little people poking their heads out to say, "Hello!"

Xie Lian walked past the small bakery he walked by every day, thinking to himself _'There goes the baker with his tray, like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell.'_ Every morning it was just the same, faces he had memorized walking by doing their chores, washing clothes, doing their job, selling food, jewelry, and feeding their animals. Whenever he walked by, those faces he knew well stopped what they were doing, one by one and spared a look at him, a strange expression on their faces. Xie Lian was used to this by now, and simply stuck his nose a bit farther into the book he was reading. 

"Good morning, Xie Lian!"

The old baker waved at him, a funny look on his face. Even so, Xie Lian smiled kindly, waving back. "Good morning, sir. Have you lost something again?"

The old man took off his hat to scratch his nearly bald head, running a hand through it to neatly place the bamboo hat back on. His skin already had some wrinkles, and his eyes looked weary but he still spoke in a loud voice, "Well, I believe I have. Problem is, I've—I can't remember what. Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me. Where are you off to?"

Xie Lian smiled subconsciously, already thinking of the place filled with his favorite books and the scent of paper. He said excitedly, "Well since you've asked, I'm going to return this book. It's about two lovers in fair—,"

"Sounds boring."

Xie Lian already expected this kind of answer and didn't feel that sad. He said his goodbyes quickly and continued hurriedly on his walk to the library, trying his best not to get distracted by the whispers floating in the air as he walked by. He heard some of them, while some were too blurry. 

"Look there he goes, that guy is strange, no question. All dazed and distracted, can't you tell?"

"No denying, he's a funny boy, that Xie Lian!"

Some people exchanged greetings like they did every morning, deciding to ignore Xie Lian. He appreciated these voices much more, and they were also much louder than the whispers. 

"Good day! How is your family?"

"Good day! How is your wife?"

"Morning, Lan Chang! You look even older today!"

The voice of a woman cut through. "Shut your mouth and pass me those six eggs, I need them to feed my kid!"

"So old and you still have kids!"

Xie Lian chuckled low and walked by faster, dodging carts and chickens that were walking around, jumping over stones and boxes. He still had his head buried into that book, continuing to read as if nothing had happened. 

He finally arrived at his desired place, the place of wonders to him. When he opened the door to the library, chimes from the bell on top sounded through, alerting the old Mei Nian Qing that someone had walked into his library. 

This man was one of the only people that still treated Xie Lian with genuine kindness. He quickly walked over, about to shout the greeting he said to most customers. When he noticed it was Xie Lian, his face relaxed a little and a warm smile spread on his face. Xie Lian returned it, bowing a little. 

"Xie Lian-ah! You're already back? You just came yesterday!"

Xie Lian laughed, hugging the book close to his arms. "But sir, do you have any new books? I've finished with this one already, and it was so amazing!"

Before he could continue speaking more about the wonders of that book, Mei Nian Qing said, "I'm afraid not. But, you could re-read any of the books you'd like!"

Xie Lian immediately walked over to the corner where he knew he last stored that book. As expected, nobody had moved it from its spot. Not many people came to read, and as far as he knew, he was one of the only customers this library had in this little town. He took that book and walked up to Mei Nian Qing. 

"That book again! You've already read it more than ten times!"

Xie Lian simply shrugged, adjusting his bamboo hat and scratching his bare nape in embarrassment. "I-I know, but sir, this one is my favorite!"

Mei Nian Qing smiled at him, slapping Xie Lian's back as a gesture of affection. "In that case, you don't need to keep coming back for it. You may keep that one."

Xie Lian's eyes widened. "Really? May I really?" He smiled so wide that his cheeks began to ache. He almost hugged the man in front of him, but Mei Nian Qing gripped his shoulders. 

"Yes, yes, you may! Nobody comes and reads anyway, who's going to care? Now run off, I've got to clean the shelves again. . ."

Xie Lian was grinning as he walked out, hugging the book close to his chest before opening it and starting to read it again. As soon as the people outside noticed the white robes coming out, the chatter died down, before slowly coming to life again. If Xie Lian noticed, he didn't show it.

"Look! There he goes, that man is so peculiar. I wonder if he's feeling well.."

"He has his nose stuck in a book half the time, what a wonder that Xie Lian is..."

Xie Lian had already stopped caring and instead sat down next to a small fountain. His heart jumped in happiness when his favorite character appeared, the handsome Prince Charming. He clasped his hand over where his heart would be, gasping when the girl saw the prince arriving in his handsome glory. He really was a sucker for romance, or any romance-related story. 

What Xie Lian wasn't aware of, was that there was someone watching him from afar. A man in a white shirt tucked into a black belt sat with a sword by his belt, sitting next to a woman clad in all black. The woman was Ling Wen, and as for the man, he was Jun Wu. 

Jun Wu stared at him for a couple more seconds before turning to Ling Wen, smiling slyly. "Isn't he the most gorgeous one in this whole town?"

Ling Wen gave Xie Lian a bored look, before turning to look at Jun Wu. She shrugged, but still nodded her head. "He's indeed beautiful, but Jun Wu, don't you know he's rather odd?"

Jun Wu frowned, visibly displeased with her answer. He had a scary aura to him, but still the kind of handsome aura that made people around him want him. He was tall and strong-looking, with sharp eyebrows and a square jaw. "He's the only one that's made me feel something after the war. There's something about him, and I must have him." His tone was cold and absolute, leaving no room for discussion. "Once I make him my husband, he'll leave those odd reading habits of his at once."

Ling Wen only sighed again and continued on her task of polishing her sword. Both she and Jun Wu were excellent at martial skills and often trained. Once she wiped off all the dust, she stood, and Jun Wu followed after, Xie Lian still in his mind. 

Shi Qing Xuan, otherwise known as Xie Lian's only friend and friend to almost everyone else, had been listening intently to Jun Wu's conversation. They dusted off their clothes, fixing their hair and jogging over to where Xie Lian was still immersed in his book. "Your highness!"

Xie Lian looked up at the nickname, closing his book and smiling. The people around them looked up startled, wondering who Shi Qing Xuan was calling 'your highness'. Xie Lian was clearly not a prince. The truth was, Shi Qing Xuan gave him that nickname some years ago for two reasons. One was that Xie Lian loved reading books about royalty. The second was that Xie Lian always walked and sat with strange regalness back then, and Shi Qing Xuan thought it was rather funny. Although he was a scrap-collecter, he had some strange royal mannerisms. So Qing Xuan began calling him "your highness" as a joke. 

"Lord Wind Master," Xie Lian joked back. The nickname he gave them also had a long story behind him, but that story was too long to recount. Of course, Shi Qing Xuan wasn't any master of the sort. "What's going on?"

Shi Qing Xuan circled an arm over his shoulders, "You won't believe what I just heard! I was sitting over there, do you see? The little cute chair-,"

Suddenly they were interrupted by the shadow that was cast over them. They looked up and saw Jun Wu had approached, Ling Wen right behind him. Xie Lian noticed that Shi Qing Xuan's whole expression immediately changed from happy to wary. His expression probably looked the same, but he quickly covered it up with the most real smile he could muster. 

"Jun Wu," Xie Lian bowed his head politely. 

Jun Wu gave him a smile, but it made Xie Lian's insides churn, and not in a good way. 

"Xie Lian," he said, cocking an eyebrow and stepping forward. The action made Xie Lian step back, as Jun Wu was getting a little too close to his personal space. Jun Wu turned and gave Shi Qing Xuan a look, trailing his eyes up and down their body as if sizing them up. Then he smiled, no trace of joy in his eyes. "Qing Xuan, would you mind if I borrow Xie Lian for a second?"

Xie Lian silently pleaded Shi Qing Xuan that said no, even though it would sound quite rude. However, before he could say anything, Jun Wu had already placed a hand on his shoulder and was whisking him away. 

Turning his head back, he sent a pleading look at his friend that looked equivalent to _'save me.'_

Jun Wu guided them back to Xie Lian's little "house." Ling Wen seemed to have silently agreed with Jun Wu on something and left midway, going back to where Shi Qing Xuan was left wide-eyed. 

Once they reached Xie Lian's shrine and had stepped inside, Jun Wu pressed one hand firmly on the wooden wall, trapping Xie Lian from leaving his space. Xie Lian thought of ways to escape, already feeling slightly disgusted by Jun Wu's actions. 

Although it was true that Jun Wu was the most handsome man in Xian Le, Xie Lian for some reason didn't seem to want to get close to the man. While everyone else wanted to catch a glimpse, or talk to him, Jun Wu seemed to always have had an eye for Xie Lian. It really confused him, but he didn't care much anyway. Every time he saw him, he would weave between crowds and try to escape before getting noticed. 

"Ah, Jun Wu, may I help you?" Xie Lian pressed himself as hard as he could against the wall, trying not to touch Jun Wu. His face had a fake smile, the kind of polite smile that waitresses gave you when they came to serve. Jun Wu seemed to have noticed, and he grunted in displeasure. 

"Xie Lian, Xie Lian... why won't you look at me?" His voice had a warm tone to it, but it had a sharp edge to it, and Xie Lian didn't like it. 

"I am looking at you."

Jun Wu rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. I didn't know you were the type to play _hard-to-get_." One of Jun Wu's fingers tipped the tip of Xie Lian's chin up, and Xie Lian recoiled his face away. 

"I don't know what you mean, hahaha..."

Xie Lian looked to the side, his face heating up. The embarrassment he felt right now didn't feel very nice, it was more like, _please let me out of here._

"Xie Lian, I came to propose something. I think you'll be quite happy with it..." Jun Wu twirled a strand of Xie Lian's brown hair in his finger, looking at him strangely. His eyes lingered on Xie Lian's lips, making him uncomfortable. Licking his lips, Xie Lian shuffled closer to the door and pressed himself there, his hand sneakily going towards the doorknob. Sure enough, Jun Wu shuffled closer too, now pressing his hand against the door.

"And what could that be?" Xie Lian wrapped his hand around the doorknob. 

"Xie Lian, wouldn't you like to marry me?"

Xie Lian most certainly did not. However, he pretended to be surprised and he gasped at Jun Wu. "Wow, I don't know what to say.."

Just as Jun Wu was going to say something, Xie Lian opened the door, swinging it open. Jun Wu was previously leaning on the door, and now that it had been opened, he was sent flying out!

Before Xie Lian could see the result Jun Wu ended up in, he closed the door and locked himself in. Although he was just very disgusted, he had to hold back a laugh. He couldn't imagine the state Jun Wu was in, probably fallen into the dirt. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xie Lian and Shi Qing Xuan go off on small trip, but it doesn't go the way they expected.

Shi Qing Xuan came to visit him the next day, as they did most days. Thinking they were here for the usual kind of visit, Xie Lian didn't bother getting ready and shuffled in his inner robe to get the door. What he didn't expect as soon as he opened it, was Shi Qing Xuan looking as if they were dressed to go on a long trip!

A couple of feet away from behind them was a horse and a cart. The cart had lots of boxes stacked over each other and tied together with a rope. The large brown animal whinnied impatiently, showing her teeth to Xie Lian. 

As soon as he saw Shi Qing Xuan, Xie Lian felt very under-dressed for some reason. His hair was also in disarray, making it obvious that he had just woken up from a nap. Clearing his throat in embarrassment, he asked, "Lord Wind Master?"

Shi Qing Xuan entered his shrine, happily giving Xie Lian a hug. "Your highness! What a wonderful occasion!"

Xie Lian was at a loss. He gestured to the cart outside, looked at Shi Qing Xuan, and made a confused noise in his throat. "Ah, erm, what wonderful occasion?"

"Well, the wonderful occasion is that I am here, of course!" Shi Qing Xuan offered Xie Lian a wide smile and a wink, spreading their arms as if presenting themselves. After Xie Lian only blinked at them, they deflated. "Fine, that wasn't it...," Shi Qing Xuan grumbled. "I've actually arrived to ask you for a _favor_."

Xie Lian was taken aback once again, wondering what kind of favor it was that it involved a horse and a cart full of boxes. "A favor? What kind?"

Shi Qing Xuan took his hand and led him outside, standing next to the brown mare. They patted her once and moved on the cart carrying all the boxes. They patted the boxes too, smiling at Xie Lian. "I've got to take all these boxes to the other town, the one where my brother lives... He wanted me to deliver them to him myself, but that would mean I have to go by horse _all the way_ through the forest by night all alone."

Xie Lian already understood where this was going. "I'll go with you if you would like."

Shi Qing Xuan brightened up immediately. "Really? Thank you so much, Xie Lian-ah!" They threw his arms around his friend once again, and Xie Lian understood that they were very nervous. Not only was Qing Xuan scared of the dark, traveling alone, and the forest, they were also scared of their brother, Shi Wu Du. 

Once he ran back to get dressed for the trip, both of them mounted the horse and galloped off, going into the thick woods. 

\-----

After a while of riding, the sky began to get dark, and the sun began going down. Xie Lian was hoping all would go well, that they could get through the worst and twistiest parts of the forest without getting lost, but luck didn't like going his way. 

Sure enough, with Xie Lian's bad luck, Shi Qing Xuan and he got lost, wondering which path was correct. 

"You choose," Xie Lian told him. "If you choose, there's still a 50% chance you'll be right. If I choose, we will for sure go the wrong way."

"Your highness, the way you say it..."

It was true that his luck was very bad. In fact, if Xie Lian were to be a god of something, he would probably be the god of misfortune. Xie Lian chuckled lightly, and was just about to say something when both of them heard a strange sound, far off into the distance. A sound that made their heart freeze.

Howls. It was the sounds of wolves howling, echoing from between the tall trees. Shi Qing Xuan didn't waste any time. As soon as they heard the howls, they grabbed the reins and screamed, "Let's go left!"

They galloped left, immediately hitting some branches with their faces. Xie Lian shut his eyes and ducked, pressing closer to Shi Qing Xuan. By the time he opened his eyes, they seemed to be even deeper into the forest, and snow was already covering parts of the ground. The more they went forward, the more snow there was, and soon the mare's hooves were sinking into the snow. 

_Snow? Snow in the middle of June?_

The more they wandered, the more the woods turned from green to a winter wonderland. 

The branches contorted into weird shapes that made them look like scary arms, reaching out to grab them. Some had hollow trunks, and the holes looked strangely like screaming faces. This forest... it gave Xie Lian a strange feeling. The feeling that this place wasn't normal, it was more like it was _alive_. 

"Do you recognize this way?" Xie Lian asked, hoping that they had somehow gotten back on track. Shi Qing Xuan stayed quiet for a while, then turned their face. They were furrowing their eyebrows in a way that told Xie Lian that they definitely didn't know where they were. Sighing, Xie Lian was about to suggest they get off and scout a little when a sound pierced through the air, a cry that made the skin on his arms grow goosebumps. It was the piercing howl of a wolf, and it sounded much closer.

_Much, much closer._

"GO!" Shi Qing Xuan grabbed the reins, turning the horse around. The horse whinnied, shaking her head violently and stomping on the floor. She had heard the sound of the wolves approaching, and panicked. Xie Lian calculated they had about ten seconds before the wolves were on them. 

"Come on! Come on!" Shi Qing Xuan cried, their hand turning white from gripping the reins. When the mare didn't move for another three seconds, they smacked her once on her behind and tugged the reins, screaming, "HYA!"

The horse galloped, taking them faster than before into an unknown part of the forest. Now, they really didn't know where they were going, just speeding away and trying to survive.

Xie Lian felt his heart beating out of his chest. Never in his life did he think he would get to experience something as exhilarating as this. Living in the same old village, adventures were something he only went on in his imagination when he read books. Now that he was truly running away from danger, the adrenaline that coursed through his veins felt somewhat freeing, and he almost smiled. He gripped Shi Qing Xuan, screaming into their ear over the noise, "That was close!"

Shi Qing Xuan looked scared out of their wits and didn't bother to look back at Xie Lian. "Yes! But why do you sound so happy your highness?!"

Xie Lian didn't answer them and looked back. Just as he thought the coast was clear, a large black wolf with glowing yellow eyes emerged from a bush, running after them. The wolf snarled its fangs, saliva dripping from its teeth. On the white snow, the black coat looked almost beautiful in contrast. Before Xie Lian could do anything, two more wolves appeared behind, barking and growling at them. Both were different shades of gray, but they all had the same murderous look in their eyes. 

Xie Lian could only gasp, and he turned in alarm towards the front. "Go faster! They're here!"

But the mare couldn't seem to go any faster. It was as if she was frozen in fright, and her legs were stuck. To make matters worse, she was also trying to gallop in snow, and it had gotten thicker. The sky had grown darker, and Xie Lian had to squint a little to see.

Shi Qing Xuan steered her forward, forcing her to jump over branches and completely throwing off the cart with boxes. The hook snapped off, sending the cart off into some bush. Xie Lian could only look back at it in shock, grimacing when it hit some poor wolf. 

"The boxes-!"

"Leave them!" Shi Qing Xuan yelled. "They were weighing us down!"

Xie Lian sweated. _Their luck couldn't possibly get worse, right?_

Wrong.

They ran into a _snowstorm_ , the wind swirling harshly around them and pricking at their faces with the whirling snowflakes. It felt as if the white specks were cutting into Xie Lian's skin, cold and harsh. His coat was almost whipped off his body, but he quickly grabbed it, pulling it close to his face. In front of him, he could only see Shi Qing Xuan, and only him. Only about a foot of distance was visible, the rest was obscured with darkness from either the night sky or the swirling white storm. 

"Hold on!" He heard Shi Qing Xuan shout over the howling wind, and their bodies swung from one side and jerked to another. The brown mare neighed, fear evident in her voice, sounding desperate as the wolves reached her legs. They snarled and bit, almost scratching her. Neighing louder, she lifted her two front legs, standing on her hind legs and nearly throwing them off.

"Watch out!" The wind swirled, loud in their ears, whistling in a high pitch until it was all Xie Lian could hear. Xie Lian reached forward, going to grasp at Shi Qing Xuan but then suddenly felt his body float.

He couldn't feel the surface he was sitting on anymore.

His body jerked violently to the side. 

Right then, he shut his eyes tight, wishing this would end. He couldn't feel his friend, and he couldn't hear the horse neighing anymore.

With a thump, he landed in a pile of snow, sinking down fast on his behind and quickly grasping at whatever felt closer to him to not get buried. He ended up grabbing a prickly branch, but Xie Lian didn't mind the pain. 

After about five minutes of just the sound of the harsh wind roaring in Xie Lian's ears, the storm receded. It seemed that he was thrown off the horse, and the strong wind carried his body further from his friend. The sounds of wolves howling that were so close to him before had become more and more distant, running off. 

Xie Lian hugged his coat closer to his body and sunk himself deeper. The cold was numbing, making every strip of his skin stand up with goosebumps. He was freezing so much he forgot what warmth even felt like, lips trembling and turning blue. 

White was all he could see, white trees, white branches, white rocks, white sky. In the midst of it all, he thought it looked rather beautiful. When he breathed out, a puff of cold formed, dissipating and carrying over to a small bush that seemed to have less snow than the rest. It might've been his imagination but he thought he saw a rose poking out. 

"Roses?" Xie Lian wondered. _Roses growing in this harsh cold?_

He didn't see wrong, there was indeed a rose growing from the snowy bush. Now that the storm had calmed, and only soft snowflakes gently fell, he could see that a bright crimson poked out from almost every bush around him. The intense red drew him in, and he had the sudden urge to reach out and pluck one. 

Xie Lian reached out his arm, already unfolding it to grasp at the rose closest to him. Nothing bad could happen from plucking a rose, right?

In the end, Xie Lian decided not to pluck it. He had a strange feeling, and his instincts were almost always right. He didn't want to risk it, whatever it was, and decided to find a way to rush out of the snow and look for Shi Qing Xuan. He didn't want to lose his only friend. 

He could only hope that that person he was closest to was alright. 

\---------------------------

Shi Qing Xuan was not alright. 

After successfully outrunning the pack of wolves, they guided their mare to hide for a bit behind a large rock. They even went to search for Xie Lian for a while, but couldn't find him anywhere in the forest. 

Shi Qing Xuan kept looking, guiding their tired mare and their tired self across the heavy snow, hugging their coat to himself to block the cold. They almost cried, from both relief and sadness. They were sad because of guilt for trapping Xie Lian here with them, for being alone, and for being absolutely lost in the forest. On the other hand, they were relieved that they had gotten rid of the wolves, and something else. 

They were also kind of glad they didn't have to go see their brother after all. 

The more they trudged along, the weirder things got. Shi Qing Xuan was about to turn back around and go for another round of looking for Xie Lian in between the bushes when they noticed something by their feet. 

A paved, stone road. 

Beneath their feet, were gray stones paved together to form a path. Shi Qing Xuan looked up, following the path with widened eyes, and saw something black poking out of the fog. A large, black gate stood high up in the sky, sharp metal glistening wet with rain and snow that was still gently falling from the sky. 

Shi Qing Xuan surged forward, tugging the reins of the horse. 

Once they arrived at the gate, they pushed it, surprised to find it was open. "Oh.... hello?"

If it was open, there must be someone living here, right? 

"Hello? Is there anyone there? I've gotten lost in the forest and-," before they could say anything else, they felt their voice stop working, caught in their throat. The only thing that came out of their mouth ended up being a gasp, their lips trembling blue, and their eyes wide with fascination. For right in front of them was something that looked straight out of a fairy tale. 

A large, towering black castle, snow piled on the multiple towers. Fog covered the bottom half, but it was gigantic enough to be seen over it. It cast a shadow, literally and metaphorically. They felt uneasy looking at it, like they didn't belong, like the castle was telling them to turn around and walk away. 

But Shi Qing Xuan couldn't walk away, not when they were cold, wet, and looking for shelter. Not when there was wolves out there. Besides, wouldn't it make sense if Xie Lian was here? The castle was so big, Xie Lian must've come across it and entered it as well. Maybe once they entered, they would finally find him. 

They walked up to the gate, creaked it open (which sounded _very_ scary, by the way), and walked to the castle door. On the way, they went through an old looking bridge. As they walked through it, they were afraid the stone would break and fall under him. Cobwebs covered the corners, scaling up to obscure the creepy statues perched on top of the pillars. 

It might've been their imagination, but they thought that instead of spiders crawling out of the cobwebs, they saw butterflies. 

Silver, glowing butterflies. 

Shi Qing Xuan advanced, finally reaching the door and entering the castle. They looked around, surprised. "Hello? Why is this door just open.."

It was completely dark inside, and from seeing so much white before, such change was too big. Their eyes still had to adjust to the room, but perched right next to them on a shelf, was a candlestick. It was even already lit up, giving them the only source of light in the room. 

They grabbed it in their hand, feeling slightly strange holding it for some reason. But if they put it down, they would really have no source of light and they might as well be blind. Brushing off the tickling in their palm, they trudged forward, their feet clacking loudly in the empty castle. Just as they were about to call out into nothingness again, they thought they heard whispering coming from somewhere close. Shi Qing Xuan quickly whipped their head around, their heart almost beating out of their chest. 

"H-Hello? Is there someone there?" their voice was shaking so badly it was embarrassing. They looked everywhere, thrusting the candlestick in front to find whoever was whispering. 

The whispering continued, this time closer and Shi Qing Xuan was close enough to hear that it was coming from the ground. They shoved the candlestick downwards, pointing it towards the floor. 

At first, all they saw was marble, dusty white tiles that looked like they haven't been cleaned in the past 80 years. The flames flickered stronger, illuminating their own reflection on the glassy surface. They peered closer, looking intently as if entranced for some reason. Just as they was about to pull away, Shi Qing Xuan's heart stopped, their eyes widening in fear.

Right next to their face, the face of a handsome youth appeared, only flickering in for a moment and leaving the next. 

"What?!" They jumped back, turning around and frantically looking everywhere for the boy that had just appeared next to their reflection. They held the candlestick at an arm's length, like a weapon. Walking forward slowly, they said in a shaky voice. "A-are you the master of the castle? I-I'm sorry, but I have nowhere to go, I-,"

Their voice cut off, stuck in their own throat. Illuminated by the flames, was a painting pinned on the wall. 

Shi Qing Xuan walked closer to it, stepping slowly, one foot in front of the other. The closer they got, the bigger they realized the painting was. The more details they could make out, the stranger the picture framed was. But no matter how strange this castle was, no matter how scared he was, Shi Qing Xuan was after all a very curious person. 

Only that when they were finally close enough, they noticed something was wrong with the picture. It was the picture of a boy, maybe about 19 years of age, long black hair falling over his shoulder. A small braid was tied neatly, and his pale skin contrasted nicely against his red robes. Behind him, or maybe under him, were many people. Some looked mad, some looked afraid, but mostly, they looked sad. It looked like people of a village, or maybe a kingdom. But, their clothes looked somehow out of place, almost a little bit old fashioned. The man in the painting looked down at them, with his beautiful eyes and long lashes. Although he was smiling, there was a problem. 

It looked like a tear was rolling down his cheek. 

That wasn't it either. All across the painting and tearing at the youth's face, were harsh, bloody scratches. 

The scratches ripped open the painting, making it look like the boy had painful gashes carved into his face. What's even worse, the gashes were tinted red from blood, and they looked suspiciously like they were scratch ripped open by _claws_. 

Shi Qing Xuan stumbled back, completely frightened. They turned the other way and was about to make a run for it when suddenly, a voice right next to them said, "Put me down first!"

"...."

Their body was completely frozen on the spot, eyes wide and unmoving. Before they could scream in fear, they felt the candlestick they were holding in their hand shift slightly, and they heard the same voice right next to their face talk again. "Why do you look so scared? Never seen a talking candlestick before?"

Only when that phrase was said did Shi Qing Xuan notice that the voice they heard was coming from the candlestick. The _fucking_ candlestick. 

They turned it over in his hands slowly, eyes trailing over it until they felt a slight tickle in his palm. Gasping, they gripped it upwards to look at what had tickled them and sure enough, there was a face carved into the metal. And it wasn't just any face, it was a whole human face, sticking out slightly and blending in with the golden color, moving its mouth and eyes and making very human-like expressions.

Shi Qing Xuan couldn't even scream anymore. Their voice was stuck, simply staring at the thing. It lifted one eyebrow, pouting slightly. "What? Am I that handsome?" 

Finally coming to their senses, Shi Qing Xuan screamed, loudly and not in a very nice way. They threw the candlestick across the room, hearing it clack once and scream, "Hey! Ouch!"

They didn't stay to listen to it any longer. Hugging their coat closer, they ran out, instantly getting hit with white snow and cold air. Their mare was waiting for them right outside where they had left her, under a small stable with hay. She looked up, hay dangling from her mouth in confusion as her master ran crazily towards her. 

"Come on, we have to go back to the village now! This castle is fucking alive, _what the fuck!_ We have to tell them Xie Lian is missing-," Shi Qing Xuan was screaming, but their voice faltered by the last part. 

Right behind the horse was a very bright green bush, completely untouched by snow and covered under the shade of the roof of the stable. That wasn't the most interesting part though. What had caught Shi Qing Xuan's eye was the very bright, very large crimson roses sprouting beautifully from in between the leaves. 

They didn't know why, but they really, really felt the urge to pluck one. Never in their life had they seen such beautiful flowers, such a vibrant red just embedded between the gleaming green leaves. They weren't even a flower type of person, they preferred other gifts over flowers any time. But these flowers looked somehow special, and they entranced Shi Qing Xuan, leading them towards them and making them reach out their hand. 

They extended their arm more, taking hold of the stem in between their fingers. They were so enchanted by the beauty in their hands, that they didn't even register the pain when thorns stabbed lightly into the skin, drawing out a droplet of blood.

It rolled down and fell on the snow, splattering over the white with crimson red, turning the snow a different shade. Before Shi Qing Xuan could notice, they had already snapped their fingers, breaking off the flower from its branch and taking it towards themselves. 

At once, everything was silent. The wind stopped, the leaves settled, the trees stopped their swaying and the drops of water falling from the leaves seemed to freeze over, turning into ice before they could fall. 

Shi Qing Xuan tensed up, seemingly out of their trance. They felt their heart rate go up, beating so loudly in their ears that they were afraid the wolves would hear it. But everything was so silent, not even the wolves were heard. Shi Qing Xuan was afraid that if they made a noise, it would alert the whole forest. 

Even the air around them seemed to grow colder, frosting over their skin and lips. Licking them quickly and gulping, they closed their eyes, counting to three in their mind before opening them, hoping it was all in his imagination. 

However, what they didn't expect when they opened them, was for a large, dark and tall shadow to be looming over them from behind. 

In the reflection of the snow in front of them, there was emerging a gloomy, spine-chilling shadow, taking shape every second. Two tall horns twisted over everything, and two large hands, no, _claws,_ suddenly clamped down on their shoulders. 

Shi Qing Xuan didn't dare turn around, not when the sharp things were digging into their skin. From the corner of their eye, they could see that the claws were tainted pitch black, long and pointy.

Then, a cold, deep, and husky voice growled right next to their ear. 

_"What do you think you're doing?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just finished re-reading tgcf...that's right I read that shit twice already, it was just too good.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xie Lian re-unites with Shi Qing Xuan and then separates again . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hua Hua's first time meeting Xie Lian!!! Hualian will finally meet. 
> 
> also, don't be scared for mean and scary Hua Cheng, he's a sweetheart but this is what years in confinement as an ugly beast does.
> 
> (If you listen to the Beauty and the Beast prologue music while reading, it’s really good)

Xie Lian was extremely annoyed by now. He was fatigued, cold, and now his socks were wet from trudging through the deep snow. The only thing that kept him from giving up and plopping down on the floor was that he didn't want to die yet, and he had to find Shi Qing Xuan. 

After minutes of searching more, Xie Lian arrived at what seemed to be a little stone path. 

Thinking it must've led to somewhere with people, Xie Lian followed, looking closely at the ground. He couldn't look ahead even if he tried, there was still too much fog, and the bright white was starting to sting his cold eyes. He just shuffled forward, hugging his own body close in search of warmth. His brown hair was already tussled, lightly flying around his face from the gentle wind. His bun had fallen, leaving half his hair up and half his hair down. 

When he got to the large gate, he gasped softly. The black door was already opened, creaking gently along with the wind. If this place had an owner, wouldn't it be stupid to leave the gate open? Were they not aware of the creatures in the forest that could get it? Or were they simply not scared?

There was another reason, that Xie Lian hoped was the true one. That was that somebody else had just recently entered, and _that_ someone... could've been his friend. 

He stepped in more enthusiastically, completely forgetting the dangers of going into someone else's territory. After all, he was cold and lost. Surely they would be considerate enough to help him, right?

However, the more steps he took, the bigger and darker something seemed to loom from the sky. Big pointy tower tips, black and shadowing over everything peered out of the fog. Crooked designs could be seen embedded onto the solid material, sharp and glinting. 

_A castle??_

Xie Lian almost couldn't believe it... a castle? Like the ones in his books? He knew they existed but he never thought he would be able to see one in real life...

He walked to the tall door, creaking it open and once again surprised at why it was left unlocked. Who lived here that was careless enough? Or was this place abandoned?

Going in, Xie Lian had to squint his eyes. After being in the white, snowy environment for so long, his eyes were not used to the darkness of the room. The steps he took echoed loudly, his heel hitting the seemingly marble floor. If it echoed, that meant he was in a big room, probably more empty than full. He made out dark statues sitting high in the walls, and furniture scattered in the far right. 

"Qing Xuan!" Xie Lian yelled. "Lord Wind Master!"

He walked forward, his eyes searching everywhere and trying to find any source of light. They landed on what seemed to be a staircase, which had a faint, glowing yellow light. Xie Lian walked towards it, his eyes trying hard to adjust. Perhaps Shi Qing Xuan had gone up there? Or maybe there were people that could help him?

Once he got to the stairs, he slowed down are raised his guard. Although he was cold, freezing, and hungry, he didn't want to accidentally walk into some danger. 

He called out more softly, "Hello? Is anyone here? I'm looking for my friend..."

Before he could say anything else, he heard whispering voices, like two men arguing together in hushed tones. The voices seemed to be coming from the very top of the stairs. 

"I told you to not let anyone... why would you... the master is going to...!" Xie Lian couldn't make out all the words the men were saying, only making out a few phrases. For some reason, Xie Lian didn't feel that dread that came whenever his instincts told him there was something bad. He felt these people were okay, and they mentioned having a master. Perhaps they were harmless servants? 

Xie Lian didn't know well either way. He had spent his life living with the same people in the same old little town, how was his judgment of people supposed to be good?

"Hello!" he called out, this time loud enough for the people to hear. Immediately, the talking ceased. Xie Lian was surprised and a little sad but he continued up the stairs. "Hello? I'm really sorry for intruding but I need a place to stay! I'm also looking for my friend..."

The more he walked up the stairs, the more he thought he heard metal lightly clashing and little thumps on the floor. He frowned, continuing up. By now his vision was properly adjusted, and the source of light had gotten stronger. It seemed to be coming from... _a candle?_

Once he reached the top, there was a single candlestick on the floor, right next to a wooden clock. Xie Lian's frown deepened, looking around at the hallway he entered.

He had just heard voices up here, so where were the people? They really just left when they heard Xie Lian walking up the stairs? He pouted a bit, a blue feeling settling as he really wanted to ask them if they had seen Shi Qing Xuan. 

Just as he was about to walk forward, a voice suddenly came from beneath him. "Stop!"

Xie Lian gasped loudly, stumbling back a few steps and putting his hand over his heart. The small candlestick that had been sitting on the floor was suddenly moving, rolling around and twitching. Its "arms" stretched out, adjusting its "head" and properly standing. Just then, the same voice resounded, and it seemed to be coming from the candlestick. "Sorry sir, you can't go further! It's prohibited!" 

Xie Lian stood his ground, completely frozen in shock. To make matters worse, the candlestick suddenly turned, showing a small human-like face protruding from the golden metal. It was pouting, a frown settled deeply on its face. The candle-man scratched its head, or more like the candle over his head with one candle arm. Just as Xie Lian was about to do something, like kick it across the face in fear, another house object emerged from the darkness, its little wooden legs clacking loudly. It was also frowning, a tick-tock sound resounding loudly through the hallway. The small clock scrunched its little nose, pointing at him. "How did you get in here? You have to leave, the master doesn't allow guests."

Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There were two, _two_ house objects talking to him. They were also _moving_. 

"Before you shout, or do something stupid," the clock sighed, rolling its eyes. "I know what you're thinking. _Oh no! There's a clock talking to me!_ Get over it. We were pretty shocked the first time too."

Then the candle-stick turned to the clock and started talking to it. "Shut up! He's scared, why don't you just get to the point!"

The clock glared. "You fucking-,"

Xie Lian spoke up for the first time, interrupting their little quarrel. "Okay, okay! Stop fighting, and I won't yell. Just... can one of you explain? Who are you guys, and what is this place?"

The candle-stick turned to face him, or more like looked up at him. He seemed to be pondering what to say, before finally opening his small mouth. 

"My name is Feng Xin. This is-,"

"You idiot!" The clocked swing its wooden arm as far is it could, not really reaching enough to actually hit him. "I thought we agreed on using the _fake names_?" 

"It doesn't matter! What the hell is he going to do? Nobody knows us anymore!"

The clock rolled his eyes again, and Xie Lian had to snicker inside. "Fine. That idiot is Feng Xin. My name is Mu Qing." 

Xie Lian smiled lightly. "Alright, Feng Xin, Mu Qing, my name is Xie Lian. I was riding in the forest with my friend and we got lost. A snowstorm caught us, and we're both lost. This is the only place I've found with shelter, I'm sure your master wouldn't mind if I stayed the night?"

Mu Qing looked suspiciously at him. "You have a friend with you?"

Xie Lian shook his head, making more brown strands of hair fall from his bun. "I lost them, have you guys seen them? They look about the same size and shape as me, with brown hair half up and half down. They have really big eyes and wears a light green coat."

As soon as Xie Lian finished his description, the eyes of both the little "men" widened. They turned to look at each other, and it seemed like they shared a private conversation with just their eyes. It seemed to go something like:

_Do we tell him?_

_Of course not! Do you want to get in trouble?_

_Then what do we do?_

_Let's tell him to leave!_

_Alright, dumbass._

"We haven't seen them," they both said at the same time. 

"Are you sure?" Xie Lian asked. He knew that they were both lying, it was obvious from the little expressions they shared. They were not very good at hiding it. 

"Of course we're sure," Mu Qing said. "Now follow us, we'll let you stay somewhere but you have to keep quiet. Come on, come on."

Mu Qing and Feng Xin moved forward, going back the way Xie Lian came. They started down the stairs, telling him they know a place where he could stay without the master knowing. Xie Lian nodded, agreeing and following them down the stairs quietly. On the way down, the two conversed with each other. 

"It's going to be warm, don't worry."

"That's right! The master won't know a thing!"

Xie Lian hummed, taking small steps. However, he had already stopped following them. He stayed standing on one stair, watching the backs of the clock and the candle-stick as they faded. They were still cheerfully talking to him, thinking Xie Lian was right behind them. 

They were such bad liars. It was obvious that they had seen Shi Qing Xuan, and Xie Lian was not about to leave his friend behind. Before either Feng Xin or Mu Qing could notice something amiss, Xie Lian quickly turned around, and quietly walked back up the stairs, walking quickly on his tippy-toes. 

He had just reached the very top when he heard Mu Qing's voice. "Hey! Where did he go?"

Xie Lian broke into a run, sprinting forward into the dark hallway. Now that Feng Xin's fire was gone, he really had no light. He ran with his hands in front of him, squinting his eyes and feeling his surroundings.

Just as he was about to keep running, Xie Lian's heart stopped, the hair on the back of his neck rising and his arms growing goosebumps. 

He heard a familiar voice, a voice he heard almost every day crying just ahead of him. It was the voice of his friend he knew so well, sobbing lightly and saying something incoherent to his ears. Xie Lian stopped his breathing, walking slowly closer to the sound. 

"H-help! Please let me out, I have to find my friend! Hello? Please, let me go!"

Xie Lian's eyes widened. 

Shi Qing Xuan was right on the other side of the door. Xie Lian quickly pressed his ear next to it, calming his breathing. 

When all he heard next was the quiet sobbing and whimpering of his friend, Xie Lian gripped the doorknob. He twisted it harshly, pushing his whole body on it expecting it to be locked. When the door swung open easily, Xie Lian was surprised. He stumbled in, reaching his arms out in front of himself so he wouldn't fall on his face. 

Coughing up dust, Xie Lian slowly stood up, blinking slowly to take in his surroundings. The room had a light coming from the top, illuminating the single prison cell against the wall. Everything else was pretty dark, seeming to be empty. 

Right in the center of the cell curled up was Shi Qing Xuan, snot and tears running down their face. Their eyes looked puffy from crying as they stared wide-eyed at Xie Lian, their mouth frozen in a small 'o'.

Xie Lian immediately ran towards them, kneeling in front of the cell and reaching his arm in through the bars to grab their arm. "Qing Xuan? What's going on? Why are you stuck in a-,"

"Get out!" Shi Qing Xuan interrupted him, a crazed look in their eye. They pushed Xie Lian's arm away from them, suddenly looking very frightened. "You have to leave, tell the others!"

"I'm not leaving without you! Who put you here?"

Shi Qing Xuan shrunk into themselves, their voice shaky but sure. "Go! Go before he catches you too!"

Xie Lian raised an eyebrow, reaching forward for his friend in confusion. "Who's he? Is he the master of the castle? Tell me how to get you out, I'm not leaving you here!"

Shi Qing Xuan shook their head, "Xie Lian, you don't understand! He's not just the master, he's-,"

Before they were able to say more, a voice behind Xie Lian spoke coldly, a voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight, a cold shiver running down his back.

 _"_ I'm _what?"_

The voice growled out from the darkness, making Xie Lian jump froward in fear and turn around quickly. But he was only met with darkness, a slight, tall silhouette standing by the door which he came from. 

Xie Lian pressed his back to the cold metal bars, trying to get himself as far away from the figure as possible. Shi Qing Xuan surged forward, taking hold of Xie Lian's hand. 

Although the voice was scared him, Xie Lian couldn't help but feel curious. The sound of it was although dark, very deep, and pleasing to the ears. Although it was growling, the roughness of it made him wonder how the owner of the voice looked like. Just from the silhouette, he could tell the person was very tall, and something big seemed to be protruding from its head. 

"P-Please! Let my friend go, just keep me! He didn't know, he didn't know-"

"Shut it." Just with those words, Shi Qing Xuan closed their mouth, their voice faltering. "A prisoner has no say in what I should or shouldn't do."

Xie Lian set his jaw, a frown settling on his face. "Why did you lock my friend? We were only looking for shelter-,"

"I was giving your friend shelter!" The voice suddenly growled out, the shadow seeming to move forward a bit before retracting back into the shadows. "They ran out themselves, then stole something from me!"

"I didn't know roses were so important to you!" Shi Qing Xuan yelled back, before shrinking into their own body again, deciding it was a mistake.

"Roses?" Xie Lian wondered, thinking that it really was absurd it this was about some roses. "Why-,"

"You don't know anything, that's the problem! And if you don't know, you shouldn't be making assumptions in strangers' homes!" The voice sounded agitated. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Shi Qing Xuan cried, sniffling and wiping their tears. "I won't steal from you again! I'll leave this place and never come back! Just let me go!"

Xie Lian held his breath, tightening his fingers around his friend's hand.

The silence in the air was piercing, both anxiously waiting for an answer from the dark figure that had suddenly stopped moving. It just stood there, unmoving and unbreathing.

"You're never leaving this tower. You'll be my prisoner forever." 

Xie Lian whipped his head around to look at the shadow, his eyes wide in shock. Shi Qing Xuan's hold on him tightened, their fingers pulling slightly on Xie Lian's clothes. A wretched sob escaped Shi Qing Xuan's mouth, their eyes welling up with more tears. They held their own head, trembling with fear against the cold metal bars. "P-Please, let me go!" They hiccuped, looking like a mess once again, their cheeks stained with dry tears and new ones rolling over them. 

"No."

Xie Lian frowned, glaring coldly at the shadow in front of him. "You're truly unforgiving! My friend has already told you that they didn't know! Why are you so insistent on keeping them?!"

"A rose for a life," the voice said in a freezing cold tone. 

Xie Lian figured by this point, that the man in the shadows wasn't going to take no for an answer. He was insistent and insistent, a rose for a life. 

Suddenly, Xie Lian thought of something. _A rose for a life..._

He wasn't going to let his friend stay here. Not when they're beloved by so many people. Not when they still have living family, and a better life out there. 

He stood from his spot, shaking Shi Qing Xuan's arm off of himself and ignoring all of their _what are you doing, what are you doing_ 's. He rose steadily, planting both feet on the ground and staring right at the tall, dark shadow right in front of him. "If that's how it is, then take me instead."

Instantly, two things happened at the same time. Shi Qing Xuan immediately yelled at him. "No! Stop! You can't! I take it back, you can keep me here! Xie Lian, leave!" All while they said this, the shadow chuckled darkly and seemed to be nodding his head. His chuckle was neither pleased nor disgusted, it was simply cold and bitter, almost sounding mocking as if he thought that the idea of two friends covering for each other was amusing. 

"Take you? You'd really do that? Aren't you so kind.."

Xie Lian snorted coldly. "What, of course I would. They're my friend, and I'm not going to simply leave knowing that they're stuck here." 

"Xie Lian, go away! I can stay here, don't do this!"

Xie Lian ignored them, stepping closer to the shadow in front of him. Before he could say anything, the cold dark voice spoke first. "How kind-hearted of you. . ."

That stopped him in his step. Although the tone of his voice sounded quite bitter and cold, there was also an edge of sadness. It was like he couldn't believe that there were actually people that would do something so kind like that, like if the idea of having friends was something foreign. 

Xie Lian thought for some time, biting his lip. Finally, he said, "Come into the light."

.....

The man in the shadows didn't say anything. Shi Qing Xuan didn't say anything. Everyone was quiet, only Xie Lian was waiting with a nervous look in his face, analyzing the shape in front of him. His heart was beating so loud it was probably audible, echoing off the stone walls. 

"I want to see how my captor looks like, at least," Xie Lian finally said. His hands were shaking, fear rolling off his body but his face stayed firm. 

Finally, a cold snort came from in front of him. Slowly, the shadow moved forward, and the sound of chains clanking and jingling together with each step. A large leather black boot stepped out, embroidered with metal chains and buckles. Then the other one, along with a long leg. 

The man stepped out completely, and Xie Lian's mouth dropped from his jaw. 

He had never seen someone look like...

like a _beast._

The man wore a red cape over the rest of his attire, chains hanging around his waist and necklaces dangling down his firm chest. He was tall, taller than anyone Xie Lian had ever seen. he must've been almost seven feet tall. Rings littered his fingers, where long black nails protruded from. That wasn't all though, his skin was almost scaly-looking the farther it traveled up his wrist. 

Behind his wide back, two large wings were folded neatly, black as the night, feathers ruffled in distress. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, silky and glowing under the glowing white light. At the top of his head, rested two long black horns, twisting in a curve about one foot long. 

What really made Xie Lian lose his breath was his face. 

It looked all too strangely familiar. The firm and handsome structure, the dark set eyebrows, high nose, eyepatch, and thin red lips. Although it was a bit scary, he still had the youthful face of about 20 years old.

Yet that glowing crimson eye glared at him from above, looking down at him like he was prey, about to be eaten by him. A sneer was settled on his features, making him look highly cold and unapproachable. 

That's when Xie Lian realized, the whole reason he seemed so familiar, he had seen this man before. He had seen him but not ever in real life, for he had appeared to him many times in his dreams. 

"Are you sure you still want to stay here?" the beast asked. 

Xie Lian knew he was just trying to scare him, so he remained standing. "Yes."

Behind him, Shi Qing Xuan wailed. "Xie Lian! Xie Lian! You don't know what you're doing! I can't let you stay with a _beast!_ I'll-"

"Release them," the cold voice of the man interrupted. 

What happened next was so fast that it was almost blurry. Shi Qing Xuan was released from the prison, immediately at Xie Lian's feet. They hugged each other, not for long until what seemed like another piece of furniture stood and dragged Qing Xuan away. In the midst of it all, Shi Qing Xuan kept shouting over and over that they were going to rescue Xie Lian. That they were going to tell the village to come and save him. Xie Lian could only watch as they were dragged away, until they weren't in sight anymore. All that was left was the echoes of their cries. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xie Lian meets more furniture and house hold objects... and perhaps Hua Cheng’s secrets.

Xie Lian looked around now that Shi Qing Xuan was gone. A hole filled his heart, barely sinking in that he really agreed to stay with this monster forever. 

He was probably not gonna see his friend again, or his little shrine, or the librarian he always visited to go read books with. 

Taking in a deep breath, he looked around the cold prison cell, wondering where he would settle and sleep for the night. The pile of hay? Or should he curl up next to the bags?

Just as he was about to sit down in a small stack of hay, the beast’s voice came from behind him, sounding smaller than before. 

“Ahem... what are you doing?”

Xie Lian turned around to face him, noticing he was about half a foot shorter than before, now around 6 feet and a half. Blinking, he stuttered out, “A- um, I’m going to sleep...?”

The beast cocked one dark eyebrow, “You want to sleep here?”

Xie Lian looked to the left, then to the right. “Well, do I have a room?”

”Follow me,” he turned around, black hair swishing behind him and chains jingling lightly with every step he took.

He didn’t actually _think_ he would be getting a room! Xie Lian didn’t get it, he thought this experience would be more ‘prisoner-like.’ Not that he was complaining, a room to cry in right now sounded really nice. He followed closely behind the beast, occasionally turning sideways and looking up at all the creepy statues perched on the pillars. Every other turn in the hallways, there would be old paintings and furniture that seemed to have eyes. It was like they were all looking at him. Suddenly remembering Feng Xin and Mu Qing, that idea didn't sound so unlikely. Perhaps they _were_ all alive. 

A little frightened and a little freaked out, Xie Lian subconsciously pressed his body a bit closer to the beast. In his little moment of panic didn’t notice his actions until the beast shuffled awkwardly beside him, moving about an inch away. 

He looked down at Xie Lian, a somewhat sheepish light in his eyes. “Don't worry, the room you're getting is really nice and warm. Anything you need from the castle will be at your service..."

Xie Lian had never thought he would see this big beast look quite so bashful. It was almost funny. He smiled a bit, trying to ease up the mood for himself. "What should I call you?"

"Call me San Lang."

“Alright, San Lang.”

Once San Lang had escorted him, they reached a tall double door with a long golden doorknob. San Lang knocked on the wood twice, and it immediately opened by itself. 

_Creak..._

Slowly, it swung open, revealing a big, comfy looking bed. It must've been bigger than all the beds Xie Lian had owned combined, with fluffy pillows stacked around and over another, and soft silky blankets. To the far left, a tall wardrobe rested against the wall with a matching vanity right next to it. 

Overall it was a charming room.

Xie Lian was perplexed, thinking he was going to get the bare minimum. After all, he had actually got a very nice bed-chamber. 

“This...”

Before he could say more, San Lang spoke, completely ruining his mood. 

“This is where you’ll be staying...,” he said, a cold tone taking over his voice again, the bashfulness from before completely gone. “I’ll expect you to be ready in the morning, you’ll be having breakfast with me,” San Lang growled out, slamming the door behind him and leaving Xie Lian stuck inside the room.

Gasping, he ran back to try to unlock it only to realize that the doorknob was locked once again. No matter how much he twisted at it, it wouldn't budge open. A shaking sob built up in his throat, the fear settling in once more.

Sinking down to his knees, Xie Lian finally allowed himself to cry. 

He spent himself, body shaking in tears like it hadn’t in a very long time. It was only after a long while that he stood up on his knees and crawled into the soft bed, covering himself with the blankets and hugging the pillows close. It was the longest night he had ever experienced. 

~~  
  


Sunlight peeked through the tall window, casting a warm glow on the body laying gently between the sheets. His body moved up and down with every soft inhale and exhale, still sleeping soundly. Brown hair was sprawled over the pillows, a bit tangled from turning around in his sleep. 

The sleeping beauty finally awoke and stretched out, a small groan escaping his lips as he reached his arms over his head. Just as he was about to yawn very loudly, a loud female voice starting singing, scaring him straight out of bed.

”Ah!” he fell down, bringing down the bedsheets to the floor. Eyes wide, Xie Lian whipped his head up, looking around in alarm.

Right in front of him, and pressed against a wall was the same tall wardrobe from last night. It was mostly white and had golden rims on the edges, and some purple splashes on the sides. 

The most interesting part of the wardrobe was that it had _eyes_. And _lips_. 

The wardrobe blinked at him, a large smile on her face. 

“ _Goooood morning_!” she sang, making Xie Lian’s ears hurt a bit. He covered his ears with his hands, wincing at the sunlight already brightening up the room. He didn't even have time to get scared at the fact that there was a talking wardrobe, but he guessed he would have to get used to it if he was going to live in this strange palace. 

That’s when all of yesterday night really settled in once more. All the awe and wonder in him dimmed, and a heavy feeling settled in his stomach. That feeling must've been either sadness or hunger, but he suspected it was both. 

"G-Good morning?" Xie Lian spoke up groggily, his deep morning voice sounding sleepier than usual. Standing back up, he picked up the soft blankets he had dropped along with himself and shoved them back on the bed. Pulling on the slippers that were magically next to his bedside, he padded over to the vanity mirror, a yawn escaping his lips. 

As soon as he saw himself, he cringed. His hair had gotten all out of the band he always had it in, and was loose and fluffing up everywhere. Since it was long, it had gotten tangled up in many places, and maybe even had drool stains sticking it up. Under his eyes were dark, depressing eyebags, and his skin looked a bit paler than usual. He assumed it was probably from not having eaten anything yesterday and being left out in the snow for so long. That, and the stress of being stuck in a beast's palace. 

"Oh, my...," Xie Lian reached up to his head in an attempt to pat down his hair, but before he even got to touch it, the wardrobe reached out with a wooden handle and lightly smacked his hand away. 

"Ah, ah, ah, with your hands?" The wardrobe seemed to put her hands on her hips. "Then what are we for?"

As soon as she said that, one of the drawers in the vanity opened, revealing a hairbrush. The vanity reached out, nearly scaring the life out of Xie Lian and grabbing the hairbrush from inside. Placing it firmly on the surface of itself, the vanity retracted its hands and went back to being motionless. 

"O-Ok," Xie Lian took the brush, weighing it in his hand and inspecting it all over. 

The wardrobe spoke up again. "Silly, are you checking if that one's alive? That's just a normal hairbrush!" She laughed loudly, making Xie Lian smile. 

"Alright then," He brushed out his hair, the long brown locks finally starting to straighten up into their usual soft strands. Taking half of it up, he twisted his hair into a bun and wrapped his hairband around it. 

“You look so lovely!” the wardrobe exclaimed. “You know what would go well with you? Some new clothes!”

The wardrobe opened her own doors, revealing rows of clothes that looked to be around his size. There was all kinds of different colors and styles, and Xie Lian simply watched as she fumbled through them. 

He shook his head politely, a small smile on his face. “I think that won’t be necessary, the ones I have are just fine!”

Looking down at his clothes, they definitely weren’t just fine. They were tattered and dirty, with some mud smudges here and there. With one hand, he carefully lifted the clothing, inspecting just how filthy it was. 

“But you can’t go out like that! How are you going to have breakfast with the Master?”

Xie Lian frowned at those words. The thought of still having to have breakfast with that guy after how rude he had excused himself yesterday made him feel a bit disgusted. 

“I’m not having breakfast with him,” he said gently but firmly.

“Well, you have to eat something! Look at you, you look so hungry!” The wardrobe pouted, closing her doors once again. 

“I’m not going out there, he was so mean last night,” Xie Lian made a _tsk_ sound, shaking his head. “If he was a bit nicer perhaps I would.” 

“Well he’s expecting you already. What should we say to him if you refuse?? This really can’t be-,”

”Just tell him I won’t go,” Xie Lian snapped, walking back to the bed. Just as he was about to sit down, there was a loud heavy pounding on the door. 

“Where is he!?” San Lang shouted. “Why isn’t he out yet!”

On the other side of the door, San Lang’s wings were ruffled, and he looked extremely upset. By his side was a teapot on a table, ready with tea. On the other side was a clock and a candle stick, both looking awkwardly up at their master. 

The candle stick, Feng Xin, spoke up. “Perhaps try to sound nicer?? You’re scaring the poor boy!”

Suddenly Xie Lian’s voice came muffled from the other side of the door. “I’m not coming out!”

San Lang glared, but still took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His red eye dimmed, making him look more approachable and into the nicer young man he once was. 

“Would you...,” San Lang tried out, his voice softer than he was used to, “please have breakfast with me?” 

A breath passed. Then, “No!”

He let out a growl. “Fine then, starve!”

San Lang tightened his fists, eye glowing red again. Just as he was about to punch at the door again, he heard a light whimper from inside. 

He paused, looking down at his hands. After all, the poor boy was taken away from his home and lost his friend all in one day, and he still had to look at his ugly face. Sighing, San Lang whipped around and walked the opposite direction, back to his own room. 

Both the boy and his friend didn’t know that by picking flowers from that garden, they were putting his servants and San Lang’s own life in danger. With each flower gone, the less human they became. And the special rose... it became weaker everyday. 

Back in Xie Lian’s room, he was curled up on his bed, trying to block out all his thoughts. 

He spent half of the day like that, laying down in different positions and looking around the room, trying to see if they had any books. 

Before he knew it, the sun was already glowing in the horizon, and he guessed it must’ve been around 6 pm. 

Yawning, he lifted himself, the gross feeling of his own body making him uncomfortable. He looked up at the wardrobe with sleepy eyes, deciding whether to ask. 

“Umm, where can I take a bath...?”

The wardrobe opened her eyes again slowly, looking at him with pity. “Oh, there’s actually one here. Look,” she pointed to a door he hadn’t noticed before, far off behind a wall. “There’s a bath in there, and I’ve prepared some clothes for you. I think you’ll like them.”

She opened her doors, and brought out some garments that looked oddly similar to the ones Xie Lian wore, but cleaner. 

Xie Lian took them, thanking the wardrobe. He stepped into the bath, surprised at the large bathtub and bubbly soaps of different kinds. Quietly, he stripped himself of his own dirty clothes, and filled up the tub with warm water. 

It was easily the best bath he’s ever had in his life. The soaps of flowery scents left his skin shiny, and the scrubs he rubbed on himself made him feel softer than never before. 

There was even oils for his hair, and after he shampooed, he used them and was pleasantly surprised when his hair came back soft and silky. 

Once he was done, he dried himself off with the towels and put his hair up in a bun, rolling it up nicely so that it wouldn’t be tangled after. The clothes were also somewhat similar to his own style, but these felt more rich. 

Now that he was freshened up and out, he noticed just how empty his stomach felt. 

It growled loudly and embarrassingly. The wardrobe seemed to raise an eyebrow at him, if she had eyebrows. 

“That, that wasn’t me.”

Of course it had to be him, it’s not like the furniture had growling stomachs! He slapped himself mentally, growing red in the face. 

Just then, a soft knock came from the door. Xie Lian groaned. “I said, I wont-,”

”Sir,” came a softer voice, and Xie Lian remembered it as Mu Qing. “It’s me this time.”

Xie Lian swung the door open, looking down at the wooden clock. “What is it?”

”I know you won’t have breakfast with the master, but you should still come out to eat yourself. He’s not here this time, he’s sulking in his room,” Mu Qing seemed to roll his eyes at the last sentence, as if remembering something. 

“Won’t he be mad? He did say ‘then starve’,-”

”Bah! That’s just how he is, he didn’t really mean it,” Mu Qing stepped back. “Come on, we will prepare the food for you, you must be hungry.”

Xie Lian ended up following him, his hunger overtaking. If that was the case, then a meal sounded really good to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i delayed this for so so long i feel bad 😞  
> this isn’t done in a specific timeline. it’s not really ancient china, but i can’t make everything how it was in france because ... they’re not french. this is just written in a fiction world.... 
> 
> also i know he’s being called San Lang right now but he’ll be called Hua Cheng later once he ‘reveals’ himself. Although gege had already known somewhat.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they will get closer this time, perhaps...

Xie Lian followed closely behind Mu Qing, taking small steps in comparison to Mu Qing's quick jumps. His little wooden legs only allowed him to go so far after all, but he surprisingly didn't get tired once, just quickly jumping over each stair step. In about two minutes, the two finally reached a large corridor. A bright light was coming from one of the large doors, the laughter and talking making the place sound homely.

Mu Qing had just finished telling him about how they were all excited for preparing this meal for him when his small clock hand ticked, making him scrunch up his nose. He crossed his eyes to look at the middle of his nose, where the two clock hands were moving. "My, it really is late, I can't believe you didn't eat for this long," he looked up at Xie Lian, crossing his arms. "By the way, what should I call you?"

Xie Lian smiled down at the clock, "Ah, Xie Lian."

"Xie Lian?" Mu Qing smiled softly, the expression making his clock features look softer from the usual eye-rolling. "Alright, come on then, Xie Lian."

Mu Qing's footsteps clacked loudly on the marble floor, alerting whoever else was inside the room to quiet down. Whispers and hushed giggles came from inside, as if they were waiting for Mu Qing to arrive. Xie Lian stepped forward, placing his palm on the door and pushing it open slowly. Immediately, a warm light and smell infiltrated his senses, making him feel soft inside. What greeted his eyes inside was not people, but instead more furniture and even kitchen supplies moving around, laughing quietly around the cooking places and setting up a large table. When they noticed that Xie Lian had opened the door, they dropped what they were doing and turned to him, a delighted expression on their faces. 

Some of them stepped forward, none of them which he could recognize. In shock, he backed away slowly, hitting a coat hanger who moved away on its own, bowing down politely. "Oh- sorry," Xie Lian started, before Mu Qing stepped forward for him, raising his little hands up to calm everyone down. 

"Guys, stop! You're scaring our guest.." The kitchen supplies and furniture moved back into doing whatever they were supposed to be doing, leaving an open space for Xie Lian to walk forwards to the table. On the table sat an empty plate with kitchen utensils at the side. 

Just then, a Feng Xin stepped forward, his candles brighter than ever. "Let us pull up a chair-," he waved his candle-stick hand, and immediately one of the chairs surged forward to rest in front of the table and plate. Xie Lian cautiously sat on it, looking down and around as if to make sure it wouldn't suddenly move again. 

"As the dining room proudly prepares," Feng Xin continued, moving subconsciously next to Mu Qing. "Your dinner."

In the next second, plates, a jug, a teapot, forks, spoons, chopsticks, and napkins all whisked together in front of him, creating a cute set. The metal lid covering one of the plates lifted itself, revealing lots of tasty looking food for Xie Lian. Before he could even speak, one large napkin placed itself on his lap just in case food fell. It all happened way too fast, leaving him with his eyes wide and smile half-way. 

He didn't have the heart to be surprised anymore, so he just laughed hoarsely, even though he still had a questioning look in his eyes. Mu Qing and Feng Xin blinked up at him, a little confused at his expression but they didn't say anything. 

"Be our guest," Feng Xin finally said, jumping up onto the table to look at Xie Lian. "We'll take care of the rest, simply enjoy your dinner."

"Yes, " Mu Qing said, jumping up on the other side of Xie Lian. "Put our service to the test."

"Well, it was mostly _my_ and the dishes service,-" Feng Xin started, before Mu Qing angrily stomped his foot. 

"Yeah?! And then who was the one that begged me to calm down the master-,"

The two began arguing again, but Xie Lian didn't hear most of it. He immediately dug in, taking the fork and stabbing it into whatever random food there was. A warm feeling exploded on his tongue, the pleasant taste making his mouth water. As he ate, Feng Xin looked ready to punch Mu Qing, who was still angrily yelling at him, this time about something that seemed to have happened a long time ago. 

"Back then, if it wasn't for you-,"

"Guys, can I have some water?" Xie Lian spoke over them, attempting to put a stop to their bickering. It worked just like a charm, making the both of them shut their mouths and give him an attentive look.

"Of course!" They both said at the same time. However, neither of them moved one centimeter from their spot. Instead, one of the teacups on the plate jumped forward to the teapot, emitting a small squealing sound, almost sounding like the small laughter of a child. Xie Lian gawked as the teapot bent down, an angry expression on its face as it poured water inside the little teacup. Before Xie Lian could reach out to grab it, it jumped forward, nearly spilling its contents in enthusiasm. 

"Son!" the teapot yelled. "Be careful, you're going to spill the water and then those two fuckers over there are going to get you in trouble!" The teapot opened its eyes, gesturing to Feng Xin and Mu Qing who ignored him. 

"Sorry dad!" the small teacup bounced happily towards Xie Lian, a wide grin on its... face? Its surface?

"Be careful, Guzi," Feng Xin quietly reprimanded. Then he turned to the teapot and frowned. "Qi Rong, watch your language! We have guests!"

Xie Lian took the cup on his hand, raising it to his lips. Before he could even press his lips to the edge, Guzi the teacup spoke up again. 

"Watch what I can do!" He closed his eyes and made bubbles with the water, looking like a proud kid.

Qi Rong laughed, "Good job, son!"

Guzi smiled proudly in Xie Lian's hand, then seemed to remember something. He looked up at Xie Lian sort of apologetically, calming his bubbles. "Sorry.."

Xie Lian only smiled, turning the teacup's face away from his lips and drinking from the other side. After he took a sip, he set it down and said, "It's fine, it's fine. Thank you for the meal, everyone-," he turned to look gratefully at all the other kitchen supplies, then at Feng Xin and Mu Qing.

All the kitchen utensils and plates quickly scattered off, leaving only the three of them. Both Feng Xin and Mu Qing quickly bowed to him, “It was our pleasure! Now it’s really time to go to bed, come on!”

Feng Xin used the voice that a parent would use with their child. A little caught off guard at the mention of going to bed, Xie Lian shook his head. 

“To bed already? I don’t think I can go to bed now! It’s my first time in an enchanted castle-,”

Both of them laughed nervously, stealing glances at each other before Mu Qing spoke up, “Enchanted? Ha ha, who said anything about _enchanted_ hahaha...” 

Xie Lian didn’t know wether to laugh or cry, they were still trying to say save themselves as if Xie Lian wasn’t talking to a literal clock and candle stick. 

“Then, I’d like to look around,” Xie Lian said, pretending he didn’t hear their last sentence. “If that’s alright.”

Jumping excitedly down from the table, Feng Xin said, “Then we’ll gladly give you a tour, if that’s what you want.” 

Mu Qing glared at him from above before jumping down to Feng Xin, gritting his mouth, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, you know,” he tried whispering but Xie Lian was still able to hear. “We can’t go poking around ... _certain_ places..”

Xie Lian smartly said, “Then perhaps you’d like to show me around!” He gently tapped on Mu Qing’s head. “I’m sure you know everything there is to know.”

If clocks could blush, Mu Qing would definitely be blushing right now. 

“O-of course! In that case, follow me!”

Xie Lian stood up to follow them out, once again taking small steps. Together, all three of them walked around the hallways, making continuous turns that Xie Lian tried his hardest to memorize. 

“And this over here, that’s a music room!” Feng Xin exclaimed, waving one lit hand, the small flame lighting up the way. 

Xie Lian nodded, trying to keep up with everything they were showing him. But after all, he was still very curious about what they were talking about before, what was that certain place that they didn’t want him to see? 

“And what’s over there?” Xie Lian pointed to one of the corridors on the second floor, where not a single candle was lit. It seemed like a dark, black place, and immediately he felt that he wanted to go check it out. 

Mu Qing got a solemn look on his face, stopping completely in his step. “That’s... the west wing,” he said the words with a cold voice, looking quite uncomfortable for some reason. “And that is a place you are not allowed to venture in!”

Feng Xin didn’t say anything, but his face seemed to agree with his words. 

“Why can’t I go?”

Feng Xin, “There’s nothing interesting there anyway, just old things, who would want to go?” He jumped forward once more in the direction they were already going. “Let’s go somewhere else. Is there anywhere you’d like to see?”

Xie Lian thought about it, “Do you have a library?”

At this, the little men got a relived look in their faces, smiling like they had just saved themselves. “Of course we have one! We’ll take you to it, the walls are super tall, with books stacked everywhere that you couldn’t even read one wall of books in your lifetime! And then...”

Their voices faded as they walked away, leaving a Xie Lian who stared at them from behind. 

He didn’t follow them, but pretended to go a few steps before stopping, then quietly turning back. 

Right there, on the other side was the supposed “West Wing”. 

Not wasting any more time, Xie Lian quickly scurried forward, tip-toeing into that dark direction. 

He walked up one set of stairs, then another. The scary gargoyle-looking stone statues perched on walls gradually became more intense, turning from ugly to frightening. They began to look more like humans, terrified humans with a pained expression, like the last moments of their life were spent in excruciating agony. Some of them had wings growing from their back, some had fangs, some had claws and hooves. 

Some had all. 

At the very end of the hallway, he reached a tall double door. 

_Was this it?_

Xie Lian took a deep breath, thinking deeply. He could take this risk, quenching his curiosity, the thrill that he never felt living in the same boring place his whole life. 

Or he could turn back and go to his room again, then live with the thought that he never saw what was inside. 

Feng Xin and Mu Qing must’ve noticed he was gone by now. They were probably searching for him, no doubt heading this way. Making up his mind, Xie Lian gripped the heavy door knob and pushed it forward, slipping inside the dark room before shutting the door. 

He choked on his breath. 

The inside was even more terrifying than the outside. There was only a glow of light, giving the room an eerie aura. On the walls were layered scratches, like if someone dug their nails in and raked them everywhere, like a madman. Curtains and sheets hanged from the roof, falling down with rips and tears. Xie Lian thought he saw red splashes of something he really hoped wasn’t blood. 

Gulping down, he walked forward, looking around cautiously at all the old paintings on the walls. Some were clearer than others, showing some old men, an old women, children. Others were clearly ripped at, leaving behind only the tattered version of a portrait. 

“Oh!” 

Xie Lian stumbled forward, bumping into a small table. The thing tipped over, thumping loudly on the floor. 

....

He held his breath, waiting to see if some kind of monster would randomly pop out of the dark. When nothing happened, he cautiously made his way forward, hands outstretched.

Until he reached a particular painting, nailed to the wall and tilted, the area around it marked with bloody hand prints. 

Xie Lian reached out to it, touching the surface gently. It was ripped up, some bits of it hanging down in scratches. The only visible thing was the person’s eyes. 

They looked so strangely familiar that Xie Lian had to pause to stare. Big brown eyes stared back at him, long black eyelashes casting down over his gaze. Handsome eyebrows arched over them, contrasting beautifully against the pale skin. 

_Zing!_

A faint glow of pink lit up the room, startling Xie Lian out of his trance. Turning over quickly, he froze on the spot once again. 

Perched on a small table was a glowing, red rose, emitting a faint pink glow. Shielding it was a glass case, placed over it like a form of protection. 

Quietly, Xie Lian made his way over, hands in front of himself warily. In the back of his mind he knew this was something he shouldn’t touch, something he should stay far away from. Perhaps this was the thing that Mu Qing and Feng Xin didn’t want him to see? 

But it was of no use. All of his curiosity piled up and broke the dam of his self-restraint, flowing everywhere. 

Gently, he lifted the glass case, placing it next to the magical rose on the table. The light from the petals glowed even brighter, making his face light up in the darkness of the room.

Just then he noticed the fallen petals, small drops of red that had broken away from the stem and dropped down to bundle around the flower. 

In an almost tender way, he reached out his finger, hovering over the glowing light of the bright rose.

Before he could do any more, a dark shadow overcame his whole body, casting over the light. Startled, Xie Lian looked up, his heart beating out of his chest. 

San Lang stared down at him, a furious glint in his eye. If he could see the other eye it would probably also be filled with anger. 

The man surged forward, taking back the glass case with his claws and hurriedly placing it back over the rose. One of his wings swept out from behind and covered it protectively. 

Xie Lian held his breath, stepping away slowly, eyes wide in fear. 

“What,” San Lang growled, “are you doing here!”

”I-I’m sorry.”

San Lang stepped forward towards him, the dangerous flicker in his eyes becoming stronger. “Do you realize what you could’ve done?!”

Xie Lian stumbled back, his arms going up reflexively to shield himself. “I didn’t know, I didn’t mean-,”

San Lang’s eye shone crimson red, “I want you to leave,” he breathed, hands balling up by his sides. His claws were becoming longer, extending out like knifes from their usual normal size. 

Xie Lian almost thought he saw some regret in his eye. It appeared as if the beast was trying his best to hold himself back. 

“And never come again,” San Lang finished, covering his hands as if to shield them away from Xie Lian’s eyes. 

When Xie Lian didn’t move, the beast roared, “GO!”

Not wasting any more time, he turned on his heels and sprinted out, his legs moving faster than they had in a long time. 

Outside, the air was biting cold, and the sky had already darkened enough so the moon shone. Snow blurred his eyes, stinging his face in a way that reminded him of when him and Shi Qing Xuan had gotten lost. Similarly, the storm’s wind whipped strongly at his clothes. 

Xie Lian grabbed the horse from the stables and mounted it, tucking his warm coat closer to himself. If he made it out of here, he can go back and see his friend again... 

“Hya!” Xie Lian pulled on the reins, kicking his feet back to urge the horse. With a neigh, the mare galloped forward, off into the dense forest. 

It wasn’t even long enough before he heard the first wolf howl. More and more wolves began to cry out into the sky, the noise piercing straight through Xie Lian’s heart. It beat loudly in his ears, his voice stuck in his throat and constricting his breath. 

A pang of fear buzzed all over his body, and suddenly he wasn’t so cold. The mere sound of the cries in the air were enough to bathe him in sweat, his hands gripping tightly on the reins. Under him, the smart mare had also noticed, and her eyes were so wide the whites were showing. 

“C-come on!” Xie Lian found his voice, hurriedly yelling at the animal. They galloped away faster, but the farther they went the denser the forest got.

Broken tree branches and large rocks on the ground all constricted their path from moving forward any faster. 

While Xie Lian was concerned with looking behind himself, he hadn’t noticed that right in front of them, a large white wolf had already stepped out, baring its fangs. The look in its eyes could only be described as insatiably hungry. 

~

Back in the palace, the beast had broken down, pacing back and forth in the same room with his hand on his head. He frowned, thinking about how he had dealt with Xie Lian and feeling regret bubble up. 

After all, could Xie Lian protect himself on his own? 

The wind swirled harshly, and the weather was unforgiving. San Lang understood that the forest wasn’t a place to wander around. It was dangerous, with an unfriendly environment and aggressive creatures. 

“Agh, what should I...,” San Lang wheeled around, sweeping his hand over a desk to grab a small hand mirror. Upon seeing his own reflection, he frowned. 

_Unsightly._

“Show me the boy,” he quickly whispered to it, not wanting to see himself any longer. 

In the surface of the mirror, what once was San Lang’s reflection changed into a different image. It showed a young man with long brown hair, the strands whipping his face in the wind. He looked frightened to the core, holding a long branch in his hand as he swung at a wolf, then turning to swing at another one who had bit at his coat. 

“What!?” San Lang panicked. Although he had kicked the beauty out, yelled at him, scared him, and had caught him nearly touching the cursed rose, he could not allow to leave him to die. Just the thought scared San Lang in a way he hadn’t felt before. 

Not even two seconds after, San Lang’s eye grew red and his height increased by half a foot again. With a heavy weight worrying his heart, he ran out. 

~

Not long after falling off the horse, Xie Lian had gripped the nearest thing to him, it being a tree branch. All around him he saw teeth baring sharply, the barks of the impatient creatures scaring him to death. 

Extremely unreliable, the mare had been standing at the side, occasionally kicking in fear and neighing in distress at the snarling fangs by her legs. Her reins had gotten tangled up in the tree branches, keeping her from running away. All she could do was cry out, kicking out in fear.

Xie Lian hit a wolf with all of his strength, sending it a few feet away. Jumping up, he hastily made his way to the mare, jumping up and quickly untangling her. 

No matter how fast he urged her to run faster, the pack of wolves persisted. They sprinted forward, howling out to more wolves. Even as they turned the other way, more of them arrived, snapping their jaws at them. 

“Ah!” Xie Lian fell forward, his whole body sinking slightly in the cold snow. A wolf jumped forward, tugging at his coat with his teeth. Xie Lian tugged it back, then quickly switched to grab the branch he had brought with him to hit another wolf. But before he could do so, the animal had taken it within his mouth, pulling it away from his grasp. 

“No!” Xie Lian screamed, the fright in his chest arising to his head and numbing his thoughts. Surrounding him, the pack growled, the killing intent rolling off their bodies.

In the back of his head, he could hear the mare whining loudly, trees snapping as if something big was approaching. But it was all muffled, he could only hear his own heartbeat as the white wolf stepped forward. 

The wolf hunched its back, then leaped forward, aiming to land over Xie Lian’s body. 

He closed his eyes, preparing to feel the impact, holding his breath.

When he didn’t feel anything, his eyes flew open, surprised. Right over him, a larger shadow cast over his body.

San Lang stood tall, holding the wolf in his claws. With one hurl, the creature landed five feet away, slumping down on the snow. 

That wasn’t enough. The rest of the pack attacked, biting at San Lang’s legs, and ripping his cape with their teeth. San Lang clawed out, scratching at their faces and drawing blood. One by one, the wolves were thrown away, hitting trees hard enough to break bones. Yet some still came, baring their sharp teeth like knives and cutting at San Lang’s biceps, his legs, his back. 

Xie Lian scrambled away, hiding behind the mare. He knew that in this position, he couldn’t do anything to help and would only get in San Lang’s way. 

Claws and teeth, all clashing together in a flurry. Xie Lian bit his lip in worry, suddenly looking at San Lang’s back. His wings were still folded, black feathers ruffled in agitation. 

_Why doesn’t he use his wings?_

Finally, San Lang managed to take the upper hand. He extended his sharp nails, his eye glowing red and sunk them into the animals, throwing them forward. They hit trees and rocks, whimpering in pain. 

San Lang stepped forward, a menacing look on his face. Just that stare alone made the pack retreat at last, running off with their tails between their legs. 

Releasing the breath he was holding, Xie Lian stepped towards San Lang, watching his stature grow slightly smaller.

When their eyes met, Xie Lian’s heart stopped. 

His gaze looked tired, to the point of passing out any moment. Blood seeped through his clothes, the fabric torn open in random places from claws. 

“San...,” Xie Lian started. 

Before he could say any more, San Lang fell forward, fainting from exhaustion. 

~

Once Xie Lian had covered his body with his coat and gotten him on top of the mare, he walked back to the palace, his mind in a flurry. 

He could’ve escaped and left him there, unconscious in the cold and snowy night, but San Lang had saved his life. Despite everything, Xie Lian still felt like he wanted to make sure he was alright. 

Once he was back at the palace, he supported San Lang’s weight on his side, walking until the palace’s furniture had noticed him. 

“Master!”

They helped him carry San Lang into his chamber, where they laid him on his large bed. Xie Lian took off his own wet clothes, leaving him with only one layer.

On the bed, San Lang lay as some of the coat hangers stripped off his coat and shirt, exposing his pale and bloody chest. Qi Rong the teapot rolled inside on top of a wheeled table, soft towels next to him. Xie Lian stood next to the bed, reaching out to grab a towel and dipping it in the warm water. Gently, he dabbed at the wounds, wiping away the blood. 

Blood trickled down from his pale biceps, staining the dry sheets under him. Xie Lian turned around and took some bandages from the small table, wrapping San Lang’s arm up. The fire from the fireplace crackled, burning a bit brighter from before. 

Once he did that, he went back to dabbing at the pale chest scattered with scratches.

Almost nervously, he pressed down on the wound, but San Lang still grunted loudly in pain. 

“Hold still!” Xie Lian scolded when San Lang moved away from him. 

“It hurts!”

Xie Lian didn’t pay attention, pressing his hand down on San Lang’s bare chest. “If you held still it wouldn’t hurt as much!” 

San Lang glared up at him, an annoyed glint in his eye. “If you hadn’t run away this wouldn’t have happened.”

”If you hadn’t frightened me, I wouldn’t have ran away.”

San Lang opened his mouth, then closed it. After thinking for a while, he opened it again, “Well, you shouldn’t have gone to the West Wing!”

Xie Lian frowned, “Well you should learn to control your temper!”

The watching house objects had been quietly whipping their head back and forth, listening to their exchange and not saying anything. However, they were all thinking the same thing. Feng Xin and Mu Qing glanced at each other, a knowing look in their eyes. 

Xie Lian breathed out, retracting his hand from San Lang’s chest. Once it looked like he had indeed calmed down, he softly whispered to him. 

“Please hold still.” 

San Lang didn’t say anything, but allowed Xie Lian to wipe away at his wounds. After a minute had gone by, Xie Lian took a look at San Lang’s face. The fire light flickered, illuminating his handsome features. Without all of his walls up, just bare chested, wounded, and hair scattered, this beast looked quite vulnerable. 

“By the way, I never thanked you for saving my life, Hua Cheng.” 

The beast tensed up, looking up at Xie Lian with wide eyes. “You...”

Hua Cheng stared up at him for a few more seconds before relaxing, a defeated kind of look on his face. “You knew...?”

Xie Lian smiled weakly. “I had my suspicions from the beginning, but I definitely know it now.” 

He tapped Hua Cheng’s back, gesturing for him to turn over so Xie Lian could clean that too. He complied, letting his wings fold to the sides.

Now that Xie Lian looked at them up close, he noticed the damage. One of them seemed to be broken, and a bit more tattered, like someone had tried to pluck out his feathers. 

Xie Lian placed his palm on his back, gently rubbing with a new towel. 

“I prefer the name San Lang,” Hua Cheng’s voice came out a bit muffled, but still grabbed Xie Lian’s attention. 

Xie Lian nodded, “Alright San Lang.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those of you that commented, thank you so much, that gives me the motivation to write!! sorry if this is boring, i don’t really know how to write. anyway, next chapter we’ll see sqx again, perhaps jun wu as well. also, get ready for more romantic moments from now on.


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